Manchester United balls: Mourinho and his agent look at homes in Cheshire

Hold the back page! No sooner has theDaily Mirror given Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal a “boost” with news that Jose Mourinho is being courted by Real Madrid than the Sun screams: “JOSE HOMES IN – He’s been house hunting in Cheshire”.

The story goes that an “agent” is acting on Mourinho’s behalf, on the look out for a suitable pad in Cheshire. What kind of agent is not said, but our bet would be on it being one involved in getting Jose the top job and any fat fees that go with it.

The Sun adds that Mourinho has a “verbal understanding that he will take over from Louis Van Gaal at the end of May”.

But the Mirror says Manchester United’s main dealmaker, Ed Woodward, “is keen to keep Van Gaal”, who is “expected to stay in his job if United qualify for next season’s Champions League”.

We aren’t told with whom Jose has a “verbal agreement” but if it is with an estate agent, we’d advise going for something more binding lest he get gazumped.